The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released the results of a study today which found that red light cameras reduce fatal car accidents. The IIHS study looked at 99 cities with greater than 200,000 population and compared them with the cities of comparable size without red light cameras. The study said:

Based on that comparison, the researchers concluded that the rate of fatal red light running crashes in cities with cameras in 2004-08 was 24 percent lower than it would have been without cameras.

The study also found that, in the cities where the red light cameras were installed, the were fewer fatal red light running accidents in all of the red light intersections, not just at the intersections where the cameras were installed.

According to the National Transportation Safety Administration traffic accident database, there were 676 people killed and 113,000 people injured in red light runner car accidents in 2009.

Those opposed to red light cameras and the tickets issued often portray the driver the victim when issued a ticket. However, the real victims are the people maimed and killed by red light runners.

2009 Fatal Red Light Runner Car Accident Statistics

These statistics paint the true portrait of the red light runner.

10% of the drivers in were teenagers.

11% of the drivers killed were motorcyclists.

22% of the red light runners did not have a valid driver’s license.

25% of the red light runners were driving under the influence of alcohol and had a measured BAC of 0.08% or more.

Red light cameras are installed in the 3-Western-most states including Washington, Oregon and California.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.